Rowboat motor



Aug. 30,1927. 1,640,999

' F. K. JOHNSON ROW BOAT MOTOR Filed Feb. 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1F111. Jhnsqn 4 ,KINVENTOR WITNESS. r ATTORNEY Aug. 30, F. K. JOHNSON ROWBOAT MOTOR Fil d F b 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I7 'I 20 l8 Eff-Johnson-ATTO R N EY WITNESS:

- PatentedAug. 30, 1927.

\ ITED {STATES PATENT OFFICE;

I FRANK 1;. JOHNSON, or oi rceeo, rumors.

ROWBOAT Moron.

Ap'plication filed February 14, 1927. "Serial No. 168,223.

@to thestern of a row boat or like small water craft, and which carries:apropeller that is revolved by a handlecarrying fly wheel,

meansfwithin easy access of the operator bemg provided for reversing thepropeller, andati'ller rod also in close proximity to the operator beingconnected with a tiller or rudder in a novel construction'whereby a boatcan be propelled in a forward or reverse 16 direction, readily guided orstopped in an easy manner and with a minimum amount of physicalexertion. I A- further object is the provision of a means for thispurpose which shall comprise 0 few simple parts, that may easily andsecurely be attachedto the sternvof the boat or removed therefrom, theactuating parts for the propeller being wholly enclosed and theoperating mechanism being removable so that the boat cannot be operatedexcept by authorizedpersons. 1 Y To the attainment of' the above broadlystated objects and others which will pre- "sent themselves as the natureof the invention is better understood, the improvement further residesin-certain other novel fea- 'tures of construction, combination and op-,erative, association of parts, one satisfactory embodiment of which isdisclosed by the accompanying drawings.

"In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a view of the rear of a small water craft having myimprovement attached. thereto, the craft being in section. Q Figure 2 isaside elevation of the improvement on a somewhat enlarged scale, one ofthe plates of the casing being removed." F-igure 3 is a detaillongitudinal sectional view to illustrate the manner in which theshiftable gears engage with the beveled pinion on "the shaft of thepropeller.

Fi ure 1 is a sectional view approximately 2'') on the'line -1-4 ofFigure 2. e V

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view through the fly wheel to illustratethe manner in which the sameis detachably connected with the shafttherefor. v Figure 6 is a detail sectionalview to il- 5 lustrate theconnection between the lever and the solid shift rod or shaft.-

The back board or stern 1 of 'a small water i craft 2 is illustrated inFigure 1 of the drawings. My improvement is clamped on the sternboard 1. The improvement contemplates the employment of a casing 3 thatpreferably includes a main body portion and a. removable face plate 3,the latter being disconnected from the body in the showing of Figure 2of the drawings. The casing?) has both ofits ends enlarged, theupperenlargement 1 being of a substantially-spherical formation andbeing formed with ahollow inwardly extending hub portion5. The lowerenlargement '6 is of an elliptical formation and isfformed with anoutwardly directed hub portion 7. vIn the casing, adjacent to the ends 1and 6 thereof there'are preferably arranged yoke members 8, and betweenthese yokes there are bearing blocks 9 for a hollow shaft 10. The yokemembers have their arms connected by bolts 11, and

these bolts contact with the outer faces of the bearing'blocks 9.Arranged around the hollow shaft 10, and if desired secured j to thelower bearing blocks 9 there is a collar 12 and surrounding;- the saidhollow shaftand exertinga tension between this'collar and the hub thereis a helical spring 1 1.

"The .wheel 13 has its hub fixed on the elongatedsleeve 15 through whichthe hollow shaft 10 passes' Also fixed on the sleeve wheel 16 that isarranged face to face with the wheel 13, The hub of the wheel 16 restson a bearing member 17 which is fixed to the lower end of the hollowshaft 10 by removable means 18. It should be stated that the means thatsecure the beveled gear wheels 13 and 16 to the sleeve 15 are also inthe natureof remoyable elements. The lower. end of the hollow shaft maybe closed and the same is received in a cup-shaped bearing 19. Betweenthe bearing 19 and-the bearing'member 17 there is a race-way andanti-frictional'elements 20. The cup-shaped lvided with a flareddepression for the reception of the pointed end of a screw member-21which is threaded through the lower center of the part 6 of the casing'3, a binding nut 22 being arranged on the screw for holding the sameproperly positioned. The pointed end of the screw provides abearing for.the'member 19 and alsoserves as an adjusting means for regulating theposition of hearing has its lower and closed end pro the beveled gears13 and 16 with respect to" portion a end 31 oil the shaft influenceddoe; 33 that propelling the hoa t.

. such n'iovelnent will contact; with the .mesh with the pinion and thea beveled pinion 25 on the shaft 2-22 for the propeller ill. Thepropeller is oil the screw type and its shalit 2t passes through hearingblocks 26 similar to the hearing hloehs ll. the said l'iearines 2thhowever, being; arranged in the huh T of the part (3 of the casing. Alsothe shaft 21': preferahly passes through. a packing}; hex that; closesthe outer end ol the huh 7.

The hollow shaft 10 has lixed on its upper end a beveled near 2? that isin mesh with a similar great tired on a shaft 29 that passes throueghhearings 30 in the huh I i ot the upper enlargement or head t at? thecasino" 3. The sha'lt 52!) has a re- (laced outer end whirl is notched.and this received throueh the The end ill of the huh ot a fly wheel 35?.

shaft has a notch thereira and deaianed to he received in this notch thre a spring a throuah the hub ol? the fly wheel it shank of thedogrheing Pl'OVitlGtl with a handle Re movahly lined on. the lly wheel.al iarent to the periphery thereof there is an operating handle 35. Thelly wheel may he read ily attached to or removed from the shaft filthandwhen removed this vhalti 29 cannot be operated nor can the hollow shaft,so that the propeller cannot he operated for Pas ing freely through thehollow shalt 10 there 1.. a rod 36. 'll roch at the part thereofreceived in the sleeve h: s a pin ill passing: transversely therethrouzln the raid pin also passing through the said sleeve 15. The hollowshalt has elongated openings 35% through which the pin 3? passes. Therod Elli passes through a hearing); Zlll onthe top ol the head dot thecasino the outer end at the rod llti .heine; provided with spacedllanees, the inner one of which resting on the hearing; 1:3- Arranged onthe rod hetwcen the inen't'ionml flanges indicated by the numerals hithere is a ring lnemher ll that carries an out standing arm if? providedwith a hall head ta. This hall head is received in a sr'rrlcot n in oneend at a lever The lever is pivoted, as at -Lt(l. to a aup mrt ti on theupper head at; of the casing it will he apparent that hy actuating thelever 45 longitudinal movementwill he imparted to the rod "l-r'tl sothat the same will he moved in an upward direction. and hr virtue ofupper walls of the elongated o 'ienine a 38 in the hollow shaft J0 andalso hy virtue o'lf such JIIUVtIl'lOlll? will raiee the sleeve to hiringthe gear 13 out ol mesh with the propeller shaitt pinion and the near.16 into nlesl'i with such pinion. hen the gear 13 is in Ely wheelturned. the sha lt; 3t is designed, to turn the propeller to more theheat in a 'li'orward direction but when the parts are shifted, as

just described. the turning of the fly wheel in the same direction willreverse the turning of the propeller 5 25 so that the heat will hepropelled in a backward direction. Of course, it: necessary that apressure be exerted on the lever :45 as long as the pro peller moves theboat rearwardly.

.lournaled in suitable hearings d8 on the outer side of the casing; 1,there is the vertically disposed tiller or rudderoperating rod ll). Theouter end oi. this rod has a L'l'illllittl portion provided with ahandle 50. To the rod it) there is connected the rudder fit. that plateand as disclosed. by the drawings has its lower edge notched, as at 552,to receive the hlades ot' the propeller 25 therein. The outer portion 53ot the rudder 51 has its end terminating approrcirnately in a line withthe axial center of the hub ol? the propeller or projects slightlytherehelow. The rudder thus con'iprises a comparatively wide memberwhich will ellectively contact 'lhe rudder is in theiniture of a withthe water is properly guiding the boat when the handle 50 is operated.ilauitahle means may he provided to prevent the tree turning); ol. therod 49.

thi its inner tame the casino 3 has tired thereto a vertically disposedarm :nl. This arm has its upper end offset to provide a. linger Thetii'iger designed to he passed through. a socket of the otlset end 56ot' a jaw member 57. Threaded through the jaw memher there is a handleoperated 60. This hip; (30 is designed to rest on the upper edae ot thestern hoard. l, at the heat 2. lhe jaw it will he noted looselyconnected with. the supporting arm 54. it being understood that thescrew 58 past-es freely through an opening in the jaw. and the huhportion ot? the handle tor the screw contacts with the outer tare ot'the jaw. 'llhus hy turning the screw the jaw will he tori-ed toward itssup 'iortiugr arm hel: to :torce the said arm against the outer 't'areot the hoard 1. while the jaw trirtionally engages with the inner faceol. the said stern hoard. In this manner it will be seen that the deviceis eil eetively held from movement; in any direction when clamped. onthe boat.

The simplicity of my construction and the advantages thereof will heperfectly apparentto those skilled in. the art to which such inventionrelates when the foregoing description has heen care'hilly read inconneetion with the accompanying drawings. but obviously I do not wishto be restricted. to the precise details herein set forth and,therefore. hold myself entitled to such changes there'trom as fairlyfall Within the scope of what I claim.

Having described the invention, I claim 1. In a hand operated motorpropelled device for small water craft, the combination, a propellerblade having a shaft and a pinion on said shaft, a pair of facing gearsarranged on each side of the pinion, a sleeve connecting said gears, ahollow operating shaft passing freely, through the sleeve, bearings forthe hollow shaft, spring means influencing the connected facing gears tobring one of the same into mesh with the pinion, a rod received throughthe hollow shaft, and a'pin connection between the rod and sleeve thatpasses freely hollow shaft. a

2. In a device for the purpose set forth, a tubular casing havingenlarged ends, a clamp associated with the casing, a propeller bladehaving a shaftjournaled through the lower end of the casing and a pinionon said shaft, facing gears on each side of the pinion, a sleeveconnecting said gears, a hollow operating shaft in the casing andpassing through the sleeve, a fixed element on the shaft contacting withthe lower gear, a bearing for the lower endof the shaft, an; adjustablepivot for thebearing. said hollow through the shaft having an elongatedopening therethrough, spring means influencing the sleeve to bring oneof the gears thereon in mesh with the pinion, a rod slidably received inthe hollow shaft, a pin on the rod fixing the same to the sleeve andpassing through the elongated openings in the hollow shaft, and

an operating handle for the rod,

3. In a device for the purpose set forth, a tubular casing havingenlarged ends, a clamp associated with the casing, a propeller bladehaving a shaft journaled through the lower end of the casing and apinion on said shaft, facing gears on each side of the pinion, a sleeveconnecting said gears, a hollow operating shaft in the casing andpassing through the sleeves, a fixed element on the shaft contactingwith the lower gear, a hearing for the lower end of the shaft, anadjustable pivot for the bearing, said hollow shaft having an elongatedopening therethrongh, spring means'influencing the sleeve to bring oneof the gears thereon in mesh with the pinion, a rod slidably received inthe hollow shaft, a. pin on the rod fixing the same to the sleeve andpassing through the elongated openings in the hollow shaft, an operatinghandle for the rod, a rudder having a rod journaled in hearings on theside of the casing, and said rudder having a cut-out portion for thepassage of the v propeller therethrough.

4. A hand operated propelling. means for boats, including a hollowcasing, a fixed arm' on one side of the casing, a jaw member swivellyconnected with. the arm, adjust-able binding means-between the jawmember and a bearing for the lower end of the shaft,

anti-frictionalelements between the bearing and the fixed element, anadjustable pivot for the bearing, a spring surrounding the hollow shaftand exerting a tension against the sleeve for forcing the upper gearinmesh with the pinion, said hollowishaft having an opening at the portionthereof received through the sleeve, a beveled'gear on theupper end ofthe shaft, a laterally extending shaft journaled in the upper end of thecasing having a gear thereon in mesh with the last mentioned gear, ahandle carrying fly wheel on the last mentioned shaft, means forremovably locking the fly wheel on the shaft, a rod passing through thetop of the casing and received in the hollow shaft, a pin connecting therod tothe sleeve and passing through the mentioned opening in the hollowshaft, a pivotally supported lever loosely connected with the outer endof the rod, a rudder havinga cut-away portion to receive the propellertherethrough, and a handle operated rod .for the rudder journaled inhearings on the casing.

FRANK K. JOHNSON.

